Easel for a picture frame



Mai-ch 10, 1959 w. SPAINHQWER 2,876,973

EASEL FOR A PICTURE FRAME Filed April 15. 1955 MHIHUW INVENTOR. WALTEIZ SPAHJHOWER.

EASEL FOR A PICTURE FRAME Walter Spainhower, Washington, D. C.

Application April 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,539

2 Claims. (Cl. 248-37) This invention relates to an improved picture frame of the type having prop means for supporting the frame in an upstanding position to display a picture mounted in said frame.

The primary object of the invention is to provide more practical and efiicient prop means on a picture frame, which can be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from the frame to facilitate transportation and storage thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide, as a component of the prop means, a hanger enabling the picture frame to be suspended from a wall or other upright when the prop is not being used.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 is an end view of a picture frame equipped with support means in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the prop detached from the picture frame; and

Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the picture frame showing a suspension loop substituted for the prop.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is therein shown a picture frame, designated generally 10, which comprises lower and upper cross members 12 and 14. The frame may be rectangular, as illustrated in the drawings, or it may be of a different shape but must have a sufficiently wide lower cross member to rest with stability upon a support surface S.

Secured in the rear side of the lower cross member 12 are the shanks 16 of a pair of horizontally aligned screw eyes 18. A similarly arranged pair of upper screw eyes 20 have threaded shanks 22 engaged in the rear side of the upper cross member 14 in vertical alignment with the lower eyes 18. The axes of the lower eyes 18 and upper eyes 20 are parallel to each other.

The support means for the picture frame 10, designated generally 24, includes the eyes 18 and 20, and a prop 25 which is preferably made from a single length of bendable but inelastic wire. The prop 25 is V-shaped and comprises a vertical forwardly inclined leg 28 having a short lateral upper arm 32 on its upper end, and on its lower end a forwardly inclined leg 26 which has on its forward end a short lateral lower arm 30 which extends from the opposite side of the prop from the upper arm 32.

The upper lateral arm 32 extends through the upper eyes 20 from one side thereof, and the lower lateral arm 30 extends through the lower eyes 18 from the other side thereof. The juncture 33 of the legs 28 and 26 serve as a foot for supportably engaging a supporting surface S in conjunction with the lower edge of the ttes et lower cross member 12 of the frame 10, as shown in Figure l. The leg 26 or the leg 28 may be bent so that the prop 25 supports the frame 10 at a selected angle to the supporting surface S.

When it is desired to suspend the picture frame 10 from a suitable nail or other supporting device carried by an upright or a wall and a loop 34, having laterally extending arms 36 engaged in the upper eyes 20, may be employed, as shown in Figure 4. As an alternative suspension means for the picture frame 10 to hold the frame at a selected angle to a wall, I provide a tab 38 of a bendable material, such as stiif leather, having an opening 40 in one end thereof for receiving a wall or post supported nail, hook, or the like, and a second opening 42 in the other end for receiving the prop leg 28. By moving the tab 38 along the leg 28 to a selected position thereon and engaging the tab with a suitable wall supported element, the picture frame can be suspended at a selected angle on a wall or other upright.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a picture frame, upper and lower portions having rear sides, a vertical forwardly inclined prop having an upper end and a lower end, upper lateral arm on the upper end of the vertical prop, a pair of upper eyes fixed on the rear side of said upper portion through which said upper arm is journalled, a forwardly inclined leg on the lower end of the vertical prop, said forwardly inclined leg having a forward end having thereon a lower lateral arm projecting from the side of the prop opposite said upper lateral arm, a pair of lower eyes fixed on the rear side of said lower frame portion through which said lower arm is journalled, the junction of the lower end of the vertical prop and the forwardly inclined leg defining a foot for engaging a supporting surface in conjunction with said lower frame portion.

2. In a picture frame, upper and lower portions having rear sides, a vertical forwardly inclined prop having an upper end and a lower end, upper lateral arm on the upper end of the vertical prop, a pair of upper eyes fixed on the rear side of said upper portion through which said upper arm is journalled, a forwardly inclined leg on the lower end of the vertical prop, said forwardly inclined leg having a forward end having thereon a lower lateral arm projecting from the side of the prop opposite said upper lateral arm, a pair of lower eyes fixed on the rear side of said lower frame portion through which said lower arm is journalled, the juncture of the lower end of the vertical prop and the forwardly inclined leg defining a foot for engaging a supporting surface in conjunction with said lower frame portion, a suspension tab slidably engaged on said vertical prop, said tab having an opening for receiving a suspension element on a support, said tab being slidably adjustable along said vertical prop for suspending the picture frame from a support at a selected angle to the vertical support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 259,216 Rood June 6, 1882 1,694,755 Rentos Dec. 11, 1928 2,339,333 Haverman Jan. 18, 1944 2,550,926 Herz May 1, 1951 2,757,469 Knudsen Aug. 7, 1956 2,772,883 Schigas Dec. 4, 1956 

